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Mark Kerr
|death = |birth_place = Toledo, Ohio |death_place = |nationality = American |height = |weight = 263 lb (119 kg) |reach = |fighting_out_of = |ranks = |styles = |team = Team Kerr |trainers = |weight_class = 265 lb |years_active = 1997 - present |hided = yes |kickboxing_total = |kickboxing_wins = |kickboxing_losses = |kickboxing_draws = |mma_total = 27 |mma_wins = 15 |mma_ko_wins = 4 |mma_sub_wins = 7 |mma_dec_wins = 2 |mma_dq_wins = 2 |mma_losses = 11 |mma_ko_losses = 5 |mma_sub_losses = 4 |mma_dec_losses = 2 |mma_dq_losses = |mma_draws = |mma_nc = 1 |sherdog = 71 }} Mark Kerr, also known as The Smashing Machine, The Titan, and The Speciman, is an American champion collegiate wrestler and mixed martial artist. Kerr is well known within the MMA community for being a World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight tournament winner, and Pride Fighting Championships competitor. In 2003 Kerr was the subject of an HBO documentary entitled The Smashing Machine, which detailed his MMA career fighting first in Vale Tudo, the UFC, and then PRIDE. The Smashing Machine also focused on Kerr's early life, as well as his eventual addiction to opiates, which he used to help dull the pain of injuries sustained from his fights. Also examined in the documentary were his relationships with his then-girlfriend, various training partners, and his friendship with fellow wrestler and MMA competitor Mark Coleman. Biography Early life Mark Kerr was born in Toledo, Ohio to Tom and Mary Kerr. From early childhood, he would dream of being in the World Wrestling Federation and would hold mock fights with his younger siblings in his home's back yard.The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr High school career In 1983 Kerr began his wrestling career in Bettendorf, Iowa wrestling as a freshman at Bettendorf High School where he shared the wrestling room with another future mixed martial arts champion, Pat Miletich, who was a senior at the time. After his freshman year at Bettendorf, Kerr and his family moved to Toledo, Ohio where he became a high school state champion wrestling for Toledo Waite. College wrestling career At Syracuse University, Kerr was the Division I champion at 190 pounds in 1992. Randy Couture, wrestling for Oklahoma State University, took second place. Kerr was also a Division I All-American in 1992. In 1994, Kerr was the USA Senior Freestyle Champion at 220 pounds. While training as an amateur wrestler, Kerr became interested in mixed martial arts as a way to earn money. MMA career Competing in Brazil Mark Kerr's first professional MMA fight was at WVC 3, which was hosted by the World Vale Tudo Championship, where he won three fights: his first fight he won by TKO from strikes, in which he broke his hand but continued to fight against Paul Varelans; the second bout, in which his Brazilian opponent, Maestre Hulk, literally crawled out of the ring to avoid Kerr's brutal ground-and-pound; and the final match, a savage half hour brawl (with his broken hand) against Fabio Gurgel, in which he punched, kneed, head-butted and elbowed his way to victory.WVC 3 - World Vale Tudo Championship 3 Joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship Following his success in Brazil, Mark Kerr was invited to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Kerr had previously been told of the event by his long-time friend and training partner, Mark Coleman, who was himself a UFC tournament winner and champion by this point. Kerr's first bout in the UFC came at UFC 14 where he fought in the heavyweight tournament. His first fight was against Moti Horenstein, and Kerr defeated his opponent by technical knockout at 2:22 of the first round. With this win Kerr advanced to the finals of the tournament where he beat Dan Bobish with a knee to the face at 1:38 of the first round; Kerr's win over Bobish earned him the UFC 14 Heavyweight tournament title.UFC 14: Showdown Following his success at UFC 14, Kerr was invited to compete at the next UFC tournament — UFC 15. In this tournament, Kerr's first opponent was Greg Stott whom he defeated in 0:17 seconds from the opening of the fight, winning by way of knockout with a knee to his opponent's head. Advancing to the finals, Kerr would then fight Dwayne Cason and again finish his opponent within the first minute of the opening round. With this win Mark Kerr won the UFC 15 Heavyweight tournament.UFC 15: Collision Course Around this time, Kerr realized that the UFC was having difficulties with promoting its organization through television and network deals, and understood that there may be larger opportunities elsewhere in the world. Following his win of UFC 15, Kerr made the decision to fight in Japan for Pride Fighting Championships believing that there were better contracts to be had with the Japanese promotion. Kerr's winning of the UFC 15 tournament was his last fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Transition to Pride Fighting Championships Kerr began fighting in Pride Fighting Championships in 1998, making his first PRIDE appearance at Pride 2 against Branko Cikatić. Kerr utilized the same ground-and-pound fighting style from his previous fights, where he would use take downs to get his opponent onto the mat and then use strikes and submissions to try to finish the fight. Kerr was constantly improving at this point because he was proficient in wrestling, submissions, and take downs, with good cardio and an ever-improving striking game under his tutelage with Bas Rutten. Around the time that Kerr entered PRIDE, many considered Kerr to be the best MMA pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Following his win against Cikatić, Kerr would go on to win three bouts in PRIDE. However, his status was soon questioned after his first bout with Igor Vovchanchyn at Pride 7, in which the fight was stopped after Kerr took a number of illegal knee strikes while on the ground. Even though the loss was immediately overturned and changed to a "No Content" ruling, Kerr admitted that the initial loss had been a difficult decision for him to face. Following his fight against Vovchanchyn, Kerr would compete in the Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round and win against Enson Inoue. His win against Inoue earned Kerr a place at the Pride Grand Prix 2000 Finals, where he fought, and lost by decision, to Kazuyuki Fujita. Following his loss to Fujita, Kerr fought at Pride 10 and defeated Igor Borisov by submission.Pride 10: Return of the Warriors Four months later, at Pride 12, he lost a rematch to Igor Vovchanchyn by decision.Pride 12: Cold Fury Kerr would then lose to Heath Herring at Pride 15 via TKO.Pride 15: Raging Rumble With his second loss in a row, Kerr made the decision to take time away from his MMA career. In 2004, Kerr returned to PRIDE where he fought Yoshisha Yamamoto at Pride 27. Kerr would lose to Yamamoto in just forty seconds into the first round when he inadvertently knocked himself out while trying to drive Yamamoto into the ground during a double leg take down.Pride 27: Inferno With his third straight loss under the PRIDE FC banner, Kerr and PRIDE went their separate ways from each other. Later mixed martial arts career After his loss to Yoshihisa Yamamoto, Kerr was supposed to make his comeback against Wes Sims in the American Championship Fighting (ACF) promotion on May 6, 2006 at the Denver Coliseum, but was not medically cleared to fight due to a hand injury. On February 11, 2007, Kerr fought Mostapha Al-turk at Cage Rage 20 - Born 2 Fight. Kerr lost his footing after an attempted roundhouse kick and he was mounted, stunned with a series of blows and submitted within the first round. Kerr was then supposed to fight Sean O'Haire on August 17 in the Global Fighting Championships' first show at the Mohegan Sun Arena, but the bout was cancelled due to his high blood pressure and his license was suspended indefinitely. Mark Kerr thenfought in the World Cage Fighting Organization (WCO) in November 2007, winning his bout against Steve Gavin by Americana after 1:39 of the first round. In 2008, Kerr launched a comeback to MMA. In March of that year, Kerr beat Chuck Huus by submission (keylock/americana) at CCCF – Battle on the Border. In April, he lost to Oleg Taktarov in one round by kneebar. Two months later, Kerr was choked out in the opening round by deaf fighter Tracy Willis at a C-3 Fights show in Cocho, Oklahoma. On July 26, Ralph Kelly stopped Kerr in the first round at Xp3. On September 27, 2008 Kerr lost to fellow heavyweight Jeff Monson by rear-naked choke, in a battle of former ADCC champions. On July 28, 2009, Kerr faced fellow wrestler Muhammed Lawal at an M-1 Global event. Kerr was taken down and subsequently pounded into unconsciousness in just 25 seconds, receiving several blows to the head after he was clearly unable to defend himself. This led the event's TV commentators to openly speculate that Kerr's fighting career was over. Guy Mezger, in the post-fight discussion, suggested that it was time for Kerr to "find another vocation".M-1 Global: Breakthrough Abu Dhabi Combat Club During his mixed martial arts career, Kerr also competed in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship (ADCC), a world class submission wrestling tournament. In 2000, Kerr won the ADCC Open Weight Absolute Tournament. Among the fighters he defeated at ADCC were Carlos Barreto, Sean Alvarez, Ricco Rodriguez, Mike Van Arsdale, Josh Barnett and Tony Netcler. It was quite notable at the time when Mark Kerr, Mario Sperry and Royler Gracie were dominating the ADCC each in their own weight classes. HBO's The Smashing Machine In 2003, HBO aired a documentary titled "The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr" which dealt with the life and career of Mark Kerr. The program chronicled Kerr's addiction to painkillers and the "no holds barred" aspect of early mixed martial arts competition. Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, and several other mixed martial artists also appear in the documentary. Filmography * Championships and accomplishments Collegiate wrestling *NCAA Division I Collegiate Championships **1992 190 lbs 1st Place champion Freestyle wrestling *FILA World Championships Freestyle Results **1993 220 lbs 7th Place *USA Senior Freestyle Championships **1994 220 lbs 1st Place champion Grappling credentials *ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships *ADCC 1999 **99 kg+: 1st Place *ADCC 2000 **99 kg+: 1st Place **Openweight: 1st Place *ADCC 2001 Superfight championship: Defeated Mario Sperry. *ADCC 2003 Superfight championship: Lost to Ricardo Arona. Mixed Martial Arts *World Vale Tudo Championship ** *Ultimate Fighting Championship ** ** MMA record References External links * *Mark Kerr at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame site Category:American mixed martial artists Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament winners Category:World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winners